Guild Wars 2

Hi all,

Recently I started playing with my ranger again after a long break. I had quite some fun with my condi build. Now it occurred to me that both torch and dagger seem to be decent offhand weapons for condi builds. I mainly played with the torch because the burning forms an extra condition (which makes enemies condi removals a bit less reliant) and it can do decent (AoE) damage. The dagger however, makes a higher bleedstack easier to get and it has a nice evade.

Which offhand weapon do you prefer and why?

In what game mode are you playing in?

In PvE, I mainly use Torch since it has more AoE capability and higher damage. However, I do keep a dagger on me when I face bosses, as that extra evade and cripple can really help.

In PvP, I use both at once, actually. Not really a fan of Shortbow in PvP. So I personally go Axe/Torch – Sword/Dagger.

WvW kinda takes elements from both.

I’m personally a fan of sword/torch and axe/dagger for PvP. I don’t use conditions in PvE so i can’t comment as much there, but I’m inclined to think that axe/torch+shortbow is the way to go.

If you’re only using one I prefer Dagger for the ranged cripple, evade, and source of poison. Even if using sword and shortbow I like to have as many poison sources as possible to counter condi cleanses (I don’t stack them all at once ) and wreck enemy sustain.

That being said, most of condi builds use both so it’s rarely an either or thing.

I find both useful. I am still experimenting, but I have been finding dagger works great when I need one more source of poison. If the opposing team is warrior heavy, I find myself swapping torch out for the added poison. This all depends on the build you are running, though. Many builds might already have enough poison output, so it wouldn’t matter.

Ah yeah I forgot to mention that I meant it for PvP. I use the shortbow as well, I like the ranged option you have with this weapon to get condi’s on the enemy, since the axe doesn’t feel really useful for a condi build on long range. But yes, dagger might be better than torch versus warriors for example

If you are focusing on condi bombing / longer defensive fight – Torch is the answer.

If you are going to play a Poison Master build / squishy offensive build – Dagger.

^
I really want to see what changes they make to torch with HoT, we will be able to run Torch on both OHs and have a perma bonfire on a point with that, want to test it out

Take both. shortbow is awful.

vespers.1759:

Take both. shortbow is awful.

Not really.
It’s better for utility combat. Also, there is a way to exploit the flanking restriction into almost 100% bleeding proc.
And there’s the bonus interrupt that no other condi weapon has.

It’s just not as good for DPS, but it has its uses.

It it’s a choice between Torch and Dagger, I say Dagger:

• Drastically lower cooldowns on Dagger
• Dagger provides more control (1 cripple)
• Dagger provides more defense (1 evade)
• Condition damage against a sustain build needs to keep your target’s heals reduced … so more poison from Dagger is excellent to have.

@Sebrent
That would be correct. Except he already has a ranged cripple and he also has a chill effect in main hand. I believe there would be a cripple somewhere in the Wolf family as well.

And about the Dagger… Well… That’s 3 conditions that will usually go “poof” instantly anyways. The poison reapplication is the only relevant point made.

But basically – you are correct. If I am, I’ll add why to take torch, and then everyone can pick what he needs since he’ll have every advantage at hand.

Torch:

• has incomparably higher Damage output.
• provides much better team fight presence (AoE burning + Blasts/Leaps)
• (can be used right before getting downed to help you down your enemy with you – 90% of times resulting in your win since we are the best skirmishers in downed state)
• a long-CD bomb that reapplies itself rendering cleanses futile against this condition

@Tragic:
There’s no such thing as too much re-application. Yes, he already has other sources of cripple/chilled … it will likely be cleansed against an opponent that isn’t “special”.

As far as “conditions that go poof” … Cripple, Bleeding, and Poison … as opposed to Torch’s only Burning. Sure, it’s the only burning Ranger has aside from Fire Trap (and pet but that’s different), but single condition removals are going to have an easier time dealing with the burning. Last-on-first-off caters to this.

The fire field is the redeeming factor of Torch in my mind as it does open up some possibilities. The fire field is also nice to drop on a point … but outside of that, meh.

If you’re saving Bonfire for right before you get downed … why didn’t you use it during the actual fight instead of holding onto it for this one purpose that will only work if your opponent has to rush to down you and is low … the long cooldown on bonfire doesn’t help with this either.

Yes, burning does more damage than bleeding and poison … but that’s all torch is providing. One easily cleansed condition with 2 ways to apply it and a fire field. No additional defense. No additional control. No additional conditions for screening your other conditions. No additional evasion.

We’re also talking Dagger’s 10s and 15s cooldowns versus Torch’s 15s and 25s cooldown. Those are drastically longer cooldowns which brings us back to reapplication and ease of cleansing. Cleanses can keep up with a 15s and 25s cooldown much easier than a 10s and 15s cooldown.

Thanks for the input so far

But torch is so good against thieves

I’d say try to have at least 1 evasion per weapon set. So use torch with Sword, and Dagger with main hand Axe.

witcher.3197:

I’d say try to have at least 1 evasion per weapon set. So use torch with Sword, and Dagger with main hand Axe.

He uses Shortbow.

Shortbow has 1 evasion on it … #3.
So, by witcher’s recommendation, the other weaponset should be one of the following:

• Sword + Dagger (3 evades)
• Sword + Torch (2 evades)
• Axe + Dagger (1 evade)